Reputational Rankings

Pitt is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review's 2015 edition of its annual college guide, The Best 379 Colleges.

Globally, Pitt is among the Top 100 universities, according to the 2015 Times Higher Education World Reputational Rankings.

For the 10th consecutive year (2015), Kiplinger's Personal Finance ranks Pitt ranks as the top value among all public colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. Pitt also was the only Pennsylvania public college or university included in The Princeton Review-USA TODAY national "Best Value Colleges for 2014" list, based on academic quality, cost, and financial aid.

In 2015, College Factual ranks Pitt as the best U.S. school to study health professions, based on graduates' earnings, strength of academic majors and the number and quality of other closely related majors on campus, program accredications, and overall institutional quality.

Pitt ranks No. 22 in the world among 2,000 colleges and universities for the quality and quantity of its scholarly publications, according to 2013-14 statistics released by the University Ranking by Academic Performance Research Laboratory. Pitt placed 16th nationally and 7th among U.S. public universities.

In recognition of its strong commitment to economic engagement, Pitt was designated in 2014 as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

Pitt ranks among the top two U.S. universities and No. 4 among universities worldwide in the 2013 edition of The Scientist's "Best Places to Work in Academia" survey.

Calling Pitt "a world class research university" with an "unwavering commitment to excellence," a Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation report in September 2012 reaccredited the University for a 10-year period, without qualification, the maximum permissible time for an extension of accreditation.

Funded Research

Pitt ranks seventh nationally in federally financed research and development expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation.

Good Neighbor

Pitt has been ranked as the top public university in the publication Saviors of Our Cities: A Survey of Best College and University Civic Partnerships, which measured schools' economic and developmental impacts on neighboring regions.

U.S. News' Views

Pitt consistently ranks in the top 20 among U.S. public universities in U.S. News & World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges" listing, and Pitt graduate schools and programs perennially earn high grades in U.S. News' "Best Graduate School" rankings.

U.S. News ranks Pitt's Bradford, Greensburg, and Johnstown campuses among the best baccalaureate colleges in the Northern United States.

Military-Friendly

Victory Media named Pitt a 2015 Military Friendly School, a designation that recognizes the top 15 percent of U.S. colleges, universities, and trade schools that are doing the most to ensure the success of veterans, both in the classroom and after graduation.

Recent Highlights

Members of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) have elected Nancy E. Davidson, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC CancerCenter, as AACR president-elect for 2015-16. She will assume the presidency in April 2016.

In 2014, Freddie Fu received the Elizabeth Winston Lanier Award for his career contribution to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and advances in patient care, an accolade considered the Nobel Prize of orthopaedic research. Fu is the David Silver Professor and Chair of Pitt's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and founder of the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine.

Pitt's Yoel Sadovsky and Carolyn Coyne were awarded the Cozzarelli Prize in the biomedical sciences for a July 2013 paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that showed the cells of the placenta may have a unique ability to prevent viruses from crossing from an expectant mother to her growing baby and can transfer that trait to other kinds of cells. Sadovsky is the Elsie Hilliard Hillman Chair of Women's Health Research, professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and productive medicine in Pitt's School of Medicine and director of the Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI). Coyne is an associate professor in the medical school's Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and an MWRI member.

Anna Balazs, Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, was named the 2013 Mines Medalist by the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology for her pioneering work in predicting the behavior of complex polymeric materials through theoretical modeling.

David Bartholomae, the Charles Crow Chair in English, was named the 2013 Pennsylvania Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Thomas E. Starzl

Thomas E. Starzl, Distinguished Service Professor of Surgery, received the 2012 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award—one of the world's most prestigious medical science prizes—for his pioneering work in liver transplantation. Among Starzl's other honors is the National Medal of Science, the nation's highest honor for science and engineering, and election to the National Academy of Sciences (2014), the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (1999), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1971).

In 2014, Rory Cooper of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. In 2013, he was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal by the U.S. Army for his extraordinary contributions to veterans by leveraging science, clinical research, and advanced technology to improve the mobility of wounded and disabled veterans. Cooper directs SHRS's Human Engineering Research Laboratories.

Lewis Kuller, professor emeritus at the Graduate School of Public Health, in 2014 received the John Snow Award from the American Public Health Association and Britain's Royal Society for Public Health. In 2013, Kuller was awarded the American Heart Association's 2013 Population Prize for outstanding contributions to the advancement of cardiovascular science.

Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences

Election to the IOM, one of the highest honors in health and medicine, recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Pitt's current IOM members include:

Yoel Sadovsky, director of the Magee-Womens Research Institute and professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, School of Medicine, elected in 2013

David Brent, professor of psychiatry, pediatrics, and epidemiology in the School of Medicine and academic chief,adolescent psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 2005

James M. Roberts, professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, 2002

Karen A. Matthews, professor of psychiatry, epidemiology, and psychology and director of the cardiovascular behavioral medicine research training program at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and of the Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center, 2002

D.A. Henderson, professor of public health and medicine at Pitt and Distinguished Scholar at the Center for Biosecurity at UPMC, 1978

Nathan Hershey, professor emeritus of health law, Graduate School of Public Health, 1974

National Academy of Sciences

NAS is a private, non-profit society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research. An Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, calls upon the NAS to provide independent advice to the government on matters related to science and technology. Pitt's current NAS members include:

Thomas E. Starzl, Distinguished Service Professor of Surgery, 2014

Yuan Chang, Distinguished Professor and American Cancer Society Professor in the Department of Pathology, 2012

World-Class Achievers

Pitt students have won many prestigious national and international scholarships, including four Rhodes Scholarships between 2006 and 2012. Only 14 U.S. universities and colleges claimed at least four Rhodes winners during that period. Pitt was one of only two public institutions to do so.

Cory J. Rodgers

Rhodes Scholars

Seven Pitt students have won Rhodes Scholarships, the world's oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards. The scholarship provides full financial support to pursue a degree or degrees at Britain's University of Oxford.

In 2011, the year before winning his Rhodes, Cory J. Rodgers became the first Pitt student to win a Samuel Huntington Public Service Award,for a project benefiting people with HIV and AIDS in Tanzania.

Courtney Queen

Boren Awards for International Study

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests; 23 Pitt students and recent graduates have received Boren awards, including two in 2014.

Clayton Magill

Winston Churchill Foundation Scholarship

Two Pitt students, David Palm and Clayton Magill, have won Churchill Foundation Scholarships—Palm in 2014, and Magill in 2006, the first year Pitt was invited to participate in the competition. The scholarship program provides American students full support for one year of graduate studies in engineering, mathematics, and the sciences at the University of Cambridge's Churchill College.

Critical Language Scholarships for Intensive Summer Institutes

Nine Pitt students, including six in 2013, have won U.S. Department of State-sponsored scholarships to study Arabic, Bengla, Hinki, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu, and other critical-need foreign languages.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

More than 30 Pitt students have received Fulbright grants for individually designed study/research projects or English Teaching Assistantships. The Chronicle of Higher Education has named Pitt a top producer of U.S. Student Program grant winners.

Katherine MacCord

Gates Cambridge Scholarship

In 2009, Pitt student Katherine MacCord won a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, awarded to students from outside the United Kingdom for graduate-level study at the University of Cambridge.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships

Twelve Pitt students have been awarded Gilman Scholarships to participate in study-abroad programs worldwide.

Marshall Scholarships

The Marshall Scholarship, created by the British Parliament in honor of U.S. Army General George C. Marshall, provides access and funding at any university in the United Kingdom for two years of study toward a degree. Nine Pitt students have won Marshalls.

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowships

Four Pitt students, including LaVonda Baldwin in 2013, have won Pickering Fellowships, which provide financial and professional support for undergraduate students preparing to enter the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service.

Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship

Two Pitt students have been awarded SMART Scholarships, established by the U.S. Department of Defense for students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.

Harry S. Truman Scholarships

Established by the U.S. Congress, the Truman Scholarship is a highly competitive, merit-based federal award to college juniors who wish to attend graduate or professional school in preparation for careers in government, the nonprofit sector, or elsewhere in public service; 11 Pitt students have won Trumans.

Udall Scholarships

Seven Pitt students have been awarded Udall Scholarships, established by the U.S. Congress to recognize U.S. students with excellent academic records and demonstrated interest in careers in environmental health policy, health care, and tribal public policy.

Changing the World

From launching the biotech industry to winning Nobel Prizes, University of Pittsburgh graduates have made their marks on the world—and changed it for the better.

Arts and Entertainment

Pitt graduates have excelled on stage and on the page. The following are some of the University's A&E high achievers.

Bebe Moore Campbell

Bebe Moore Campbell, author of three New York Times bestsellers

Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist

Gene Kelly, Oscar-winning actor, choreographer, dancer, and director

Lorin Maazel, symphony conductor

Gerald Stern, poet and author

Athletics

For many Pitt student-athletes, the glory doesn't stop after graduation. Pitt alumni have medaled at the Olympics, coached teams to championships, and shared their sports knowledge with fans via TV, radio, print, and the Web.

Mike Ditka, Pro Football Hall of Fame player and Super Bowl-winning coach

Tony Dorsett, the first player to win a college football national championship (plus the Heisman Trophy) and the Super Bowl in back-to-back years

Robert Colwell, chief architect of four generations of the Pentium chip

William S. Dietrich IIWilliam S. Dietrich II, business leader, investor, author, and philanthropist who gave Pitt the largest individual gift in its history, a $125 million fund

Frances Hesselbein, former CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA

Thomas A. Mellon, founder of the Mellon banking dynasty, and his sons Andrew W. and Richard B. Mellon, bankers, industrialists, and philanthropists who served Pitt as trustees and donors. Andrew Mellon also served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO of CVS Health

Kevin Sharer, board chair and CEO of Amgen Inc.

Ray Smith, retired board chair and CEO, Bell Atlantic

John Swanson, engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of ANSYS Inc.

Award-Winning Architecture

The Chevron Science Center and the Greensburg campus's Frank A. Cassell Hall were honored as part of the Master Builders' Association (MBA) of Western Pennsylvania's 2012 MBA Building Excellence Awards competition. Chevron won in the "New Construction Between $10-25 Million" category, and Cassell Hall was the winner in the "New Construction Under $10 Million" category. The MBA Building Excellence Awards are the region's most prestigious awards in the commercial construction industry.

The Chevron Annex within the Chevron Science Center won the 2012 Society for College and University Planning Excellence in Architecture for Building Additions or Adaptive Reuse Honor Award.

Benedum Hall (constructed in 1971) has received an Honor Award as well as a Distinguished Building Award from the Pennsylvania Society of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

The Biomedical Science Tower 3 (2003-05) has won awards from AIA/New England and AIA/Pittsburgh as well as an Award for Design from the Boston Society of Architects.

The Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (1993) won an Award for Excellence in Architectural Design from the Pennsylvania Society of Architects in addition to an Honor Award from AIA/Pittsburgh.

The Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower (1990) received a Lab of the Year Award from R&D Magazine.

Cathedral of Learning

The 42-story Cathedral of Learning is the iconic heart of the University of Pittsburgh. A landmark listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the Gothic Revival skyscraper is the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere.

Other Historic Landmarks

Like the Cathedral, Pitt's Allegheny Observatory is designated as a landmark in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The Greek Revival astronomy facility was constructed between 1900 and 1912.

Four Pitt buildings have earned Pennsylvania State Historical Designations: the Allegheny Observatory, Salk Hall, the Stephen Foster Memorial, and the William Pitt Union.

Championship Legacy

Pitt's 19 varsity teams compete at the highest level of U.S. collegiate athletics. In addition to traditionally fielding competitive football and men's basketball teams, Pitt has produced dominant squads in baseball, women's basketball, gymnastics, swimming and diving, volleyball, and wrestling.

Scholar Athletes

Each year, the Pitt Alumni Association honors student-athletes who earned GPAs of 3.0 or higher during the previous calendar year. In 2013, 179 Pitt student-athletes earned GPAs of 3.0-3.49, 194 posted GPAs of 3.5-3.99, and 24 achieved a perfect 4.0.

Gridiron Glory

Pitt has won nine national football championships, the most of any major college program in the Eastern United States and the sixth-highest total ever. The Panthers were the first football team to wear numbered jerseys, travel by plane, and play in a game broadcast on radio. Among the many Panthers who went on to play in the NFL are Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, Chris Doleman, Tony Dorsett, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dan Marino, and Curtis Martin.

Round-ball Winning Streaks

From 2001 to 2011, the Pitt men's basketball team was one of only three to advance to the NCAA tournament and win at least 20 games each season. The women's basketball team made its fifth consecutive post-season tournament appearance in 2010; that five-year stretch included Sweet Sixteen NCAA tournament appearances in 2008 and 2009.

Olympic Medalists

Pitt students and alumni who have medaled in the Olympics include John Woodruff (gold medal, 800-meter run, 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin), Herbert Douglas Jr. (bronze, long jump, London 1948), Dick Rydze (silver, 10-meter diving, Munich 1972), and Roger Kingdom (gold, 110-meter hurdles, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988). Marisa Pedulla took fourth place in women's judo in Atlanta in 1996. Pitt Professor Savio Woo is the only engineer to win an Olympic Gold Medal—for sports medicine.

The Best of Pitt: A Snapshot

From research achievements to the quality of its academic programs, the University of Pittsburgh ranks among the best in higher education.

Faculty members have expanded knowledge in the humanities and sciences, earning such prestigious honors as the National Medal of Science, the MacArthur Foundation’s “genius” grant, the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, and election to the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine.

Pitt students have earned Rhodes, Goldwater, Marshall, and Truman Scholarships, among other highly competitive national and international scholarships.

Alumni have pioneered MRI and TV, won Nobels and Pulitzers, led corporations and universities, served in government and the military, conquered Hollywood and The New York Times bestsellers list, and won Super Bowls and NBA championships.